Diagnostic Sleep Testing Facility

DIFINING SLEEP APNEA

Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by complete or partial cessations of breathing during sleep. The interruptions in breathing, called apneas, can cause or exacerbate a number of other dangerous medical conditions.

The 3 Types of Sleep Apneas

There are three types of sleep apnea: central, obstructive,

and mixed. In central sleep apnea (CSA), the brain fails to

instruct the body to breath. The person can breathe, but doesn’t.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is far more common than central sleep apnea. With obstructive sleep apnea, the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, either completely or partially preventing air from reaching the lungs. During an obstructive

sleep apnea event, the person is unable to breathe.

Mixed sleep apnea is a condition where a person experiences both central and

obstructive apnea. The gaps in breathing occur between 5 to over 100 times per hour depending on the severity of the condition, and typically last between 20 and 40 seconds. In some cases, breathing may stop for up to two minutes at a time. During each